COLEEN ROONEY was subjected to a £5,000 (€5,900) blackmail plot involving hundreds of personal family photos on her stolen camera, a court has heard.

IN the short-term, Manchester United will continue to do what they do but the last few weeks have raised plenty of questions about the future, and even Alex Ferguson’s legacy.

WOLVES manager Mick McCarthy has hailed the return of Matt Jarvis to top form but questioned why there has been such a big inquest into the winger’s dip in standards.

ALEX FERGUSON appeared to take a dig at his old captain Roy Keane for criticising his Manchester United squad.

WHILE Alex Ferguson appears to have ruled out raiding the transfer market next month, the same cannot be said of Kenny Dalglish.

MARTIN O’NEILL paid a glowing tribute to the role played by young Irishman James McClean in helping to ensure his Sunderland reign got off to a dramatic winning start.

FEW grounds have provided a better benchmark for a team’s title credentials than the Britannia Stadium this season.

CRISTIANO RONALDO is one of the most famous men in the world and yet he remains oddly unknown.

MANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini is adamant Chelsea remain serious title rivals.

OWEN COYLE’S optimism could never be questioned but even the Bolton manager is starting to question whether all of his players have the stomach for the fight.

STRUGGLING?

PEP GUARDIOLA is an intellectual. He has mates in football. He is godfather, for example, to one of Luís Figo’s daughters.

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS’S war of words with Gary Neville has escalated as the Chelsea boss let rip at the former Manchester United captain’s criticism of his side.

NEIL LENNON fears Hearts players could react in one of two ways to their on-going problems with wages in their Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Celtic at Parkhead today.

MANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini believes his side will take some stopping if they can emerge unscathed from the next two months.

ALEX FERGUSON has thrown a cloak of protection around his young players, insisting they will not be “hounded out” of Manchester United despite the Champions League catastrophe in midweek.

HARRY REDKNAPP has warned Chelsea and Manchester United that they will be wasting their time if they bid for Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric in January.

WESLEY SNEIJDER has confirmed he would like to join Manchester United and suggested “unofficial talks” have taken place with the Barclays Premier League champions.

MANCHESTER UNITED winger Robbie Brady will be looking to put a disappointing few months at international level behind him tonight when he spearheads Ireland’s attack for the U21 friendly against Austria at the Showgrounds, Sligo (6pm).

ASHLEY YOUNG has backed new Manchester United team-mate Tom Cleverley to grasp his England opportunity with both hands.